Internal-combustion engine.



A. L. REDRUP & H. K. BOYLE. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED DEG. 2 0, 1913 1,109,644.. Patented Sept. 1, 1914;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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fiwmwummw A. L. REDRUP & H. K. BOYLE. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. 1 APPLICATION FILED mac. 20,1913.

1,109,644. Patented Sept. 1,1914. V

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT ca rier-a ALFRED LEASON REDRUP AND HENRY KIRK BOYLE, OF LEEDS, ENGLAN INTERnAn-omviBUsr IoN ENGINE.

Patented Sept, 1., H9141.

Application filed December 20, 1913. Serial No, 807,947.

To all whom/2'1- may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED LivAsor; Runnnr, and HENRY Kim; BOYLE, subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland; and both residing at Asket Hill, Roundhay', Leeds, in the county of York, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of

which the following is a specification. y This invention relates to internal -combustion engines of the rotary type and has for its object to'produce a cheap and ellicient engine by devising improvements -in. the construction and arrangement of the same with particular reference to the exhausting. silencing and lubricating arrange ments that are employed and the construction and arrangement of cylinders and gearing.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one mode of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional elevati n illustrating one convenient form of engine constructed and arranged in accordance'wi-th the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, while Figs. 3 and 4 are views illustrating details in connection with the valve mechanism.

In carrying our invention into ellect in one convenient manner as, for example, in its application to a three-cylinder engine of the rotary type we group the cylinders a with their pistons and piston rods 0' around a common crank shaft (Z in the usual manner, the cylinders being conveniently mounted upon a circularor spherical crank case or chamber e by n'ieans of suitably shaped pads or flanges adapted. to be bolted or otherwise secured to the casing, the flanges being prcterably arranged about halt- 'ay along the cylinders {I so that the length of those portions of the cylinders which are arranged upon the outside of the casing may he reduced as much as possible.

"e prefer to employ a spherical or sub stantially spherical crank casing for the reason that a larger reservoir for lubrication is thereby provided while when the engine is intended for use aipon an aeroplane or moving vehicle the wind resistance of the structureis less than'would be the case were a cylindri val crank case employed. The cylinders may be provided with the usual radiating ribsgfand'the exhaust and induction valves it 1' are conveniently arranged at the outer end of each'cylinder in suchia manner that the induction valve 11 is supported by a spindle Z? located within a sleeve or collar 7 formed in one with or supporting the eX- haust valve, the vconcentric valve being arranged to be operated by independent pivoted members m n. The member at engaging the induction valve preferably weighted with a small balance weight suitably adjusted. so that the suction ofthe engine may readily open the induction valve when required, the valve being normally retained upon its seat by the centrifugal action due to the rotation of the cylinders. The outer end of each cylinder is provided with a sul stantially spherical or domeshaped cover or casing 0 adapted to protect the valve ar rangements that are employed and jointed in any suitable manner to 7) such that the exhaust and induction passages are separate and distinct, and, it desired, the dome may be extended so that the products of combustion escape from the end oi the cylinder past the edges of the dome-shaped cover which consequently as a silencer; i

For the purpose of providing .tor the etit cient cooling of the cylinder head the domeshaped cover may be arranged at a slight distance from the head so that the rotation of the cylinders causes the air to flow past and around the exhaust valve thereby iccp ing the valve arrangements in perfectly cool condition. The crank casing providcd with two side members (7 which may be flanged or otherwise suitably formed having suitable tubular bosses 7- tormed iiitcg'ral. therewith or rigidly secured thereto and upon one of said bosses, we

arrange a suitable mitered or beveled wheel .9 adapted to gear through the intervention of an. intermediate bevel wheel or wheels 5 with a similar bevel wheel a mounted upon the engine shaft (.1, the arrangement forming an equalizing gear between the rotating cylinders and the crank shaft. The gearing conveniently inclosed by means of a 1) formed from aluminium or other suitable metal, the casing being preferably formed with a chal'ubcr w communicating both with the carburetor a flange or plate;

casing and with the engine i'nduction pipe 50, the latter being ledto the dome 0 or being formed integral therewith and provided with an enlarged portion where it joins the dome so that it forms at the same time a cover for the pivotedmembers in connection with the exhaust and induction valves.

The valve mechanism'may be operated in.

levers are arranged in proper relative posi- I tions to one another to secure the requisite timing of the valves for each of the cylinders. In addition to the stationary sleeve 3 there is a. second fixed sleeve 5 surrounding the crank shaft. The engine-(is conveniently mounted by suitable brackets, arms, or the like upon the two fixed sleeves referred to.

For the purpose of securing adequate and eflicient lubrication of the moving parts of the engine, oil is forced through an oil inlet in the cross-member 11 along a slot or groove provided in the sleeve until it reaches a recess midway in the. bearing surface of the sleeve] The crankshaft within the re? cess .of the sleeve having a suflicient number of holes to convey the oil to its hollow interior, the oil flows along the hollow crankshaft, up the web to the crankpin which is perforated in: several places. The oil thus.

lubricating the crankpin and connecting-rod bearings,-the surplus finds its way to the cylinders and eventually into the crankcase. The oil within the crankcase is directed by centrifugal action toward the periphery of the casing whence itis guided in the requisite direction by means of a pipe or pipes 7 whose open ends. are set facing opposite the direction of rotation of the crankcase so as to catch up the surplus oil in the case and force it back-into the engine bearings, the pipeor pipes being held stationary'in any suitable manner as, for ex ample, by being mounted upon the stationary sleeve-5 above referred to. The oil entering pipe 7 as described is forced by gravity down the pipe andalong an ample groove provided in the sleeve. to the exterior through an outlet nipple attached to the lug which carries this end of the engine by the sleeve. The oil returns to its reservoir and is repumpcd to inlet 11. By this means the engine is most efficiently lubricated, pro

viding means of circulating sufficient oil to oil-cool the interior of the engine. The'hot oil aftcrexit maybe circulated about the carbureter, thus assisting carburation and cooling the oil.

Between the gear case r and the crank case (Z we arrange any suitable type of joint which will permit of free movement of the engine casing without allowing the escape of air therefrom, a convenient joint being formed as shown in Fig. 2 from three ormore thin flexible plates 8 flanged at their upper and lower ends and'backed by any suitable backing which will give a good Wearing face.

The sparking plug 9 may be arranged in any suitable manner but we prefer to mount the same within a casing or the like 10 secured in any suitable manner to the upper end of each cylinder.

It will be evident that a rotary internal combustion engine according to our invention has a wide field of utility and is particularly suitable for use with aeroplanes, motor vehicles, motor-boats, sheep-shearing and other like agricultural implements.

drills, machineand hand tools and small electric generators, it being also evident that we may take the power either from the rotating cylinders or from the crank shaft or from both as desired.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of cylinders adapted to ro-- late about a crank shaft with concentrically arranged inlet and exhaust valves in the head of each cylinder, dome shaped covers acting as fuel passages and adapted to pro tect said valves, means arranged at. a slight distance from the cylinder heads for sepa- 4 rating the'inlet and exhaustpassages, tubes and rods for each set of valves, two stationary cams adapted to actuate said tubes and rods and means for imparting the movement of the tubes and rods to the valves.

' 2. In an internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of cylinders-adapted to rotate about a crank shaft, with concentrically arranged inlet and exhaust valves in the head of each cylinder, flange members arranged at 'aslight distance from the cylinder heads, and supporting said valves, hollow tubes projecting through said flange members, rods within said tubes, two stationary cams adapted to actuate said tubes and rods, pivotedlevers transmitting the movement of the tubes and rods to the valve and dome shaped covers jointed to said flange members and inclosing said pivot/ed levers.

3. in an internal combustion engine, in combination, a crank case, a plurality of cylinders extending radially therefrom, inlet and exhaust valves concentrically arranged in the head of each'cylmder, a dome shaped cover a flange member between said cover and cylinder head, means for operating said valves comprising tubes and pads, two stationary members adapted to surround the engine crankshaft and to support the ennames to this specification in the presence of two subscribing wltnesses.

ALFRED LEASONR REDRUP. HENRY KIRK BOYLE.

-. Witnesses:

DORA H. GIBSON, CHARLES E. TAYLOIL 

